Four Russian Spy couples (& two Solo Acts)

In yesterday's blog post, Anna Chapman and Mikhail Semenko vs. FBI we looked at the Wireless Ad Hoc networks that are now part of SVR tradecraft. We'll look at the tradecraft in the rest of the case tomorrow, but for today we ask "Who are these people?"

Donald Heathfield & Ann Foley - Boston

Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley were a couple in Boston, Massachusetts. They lived at 111 Trowbridge St., apartment number 9, in Cambridge, according to this piece from WBZ Boston. The FBI became suspicious of Donald, who was believed to be French Canadian, and spent much of his time in France and Europe, when they learned in 2005 that he was dead. The real Donald Howard Heathfield, who was Canadian, had died in 2000.

His "wife", who went by the name "Ann Foley" dabbled in real estate, according to this Boston.com profile. Boston.com interviewed her boss at a Boston real estate company, Redfin Corporation. Ann had her own web address, "foleyann.com", which was part of the RedFin website.

Don's LinkedIn page says he was the CEO of a company called FutureMap. (He's a "3rd level" link of mine, through 9 different connections). His LinkedIn also lists his MBA in Paris and his Masters in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He worked after graduating there at Global Partners in Boston for six years before starting Future Map.

His LinkedIn Group memberships include:

* Oxford Futures Forum
* Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals
* World Future Society
* Predictors logo Predictors
* Selling in the New Global Economy logo
* Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (HKS)
* Harvard China Group
* US Policy on China & the Rest of the World Group
* Business Intelligence Group
* Private Sector Preparedness
* IVY GROUPS - The Professional Network for Ivy League Alumni
* Strategic Business and Competitive Intelligence Professionals
* IVY GROUPS: Management Consulting & Professional Services
* Public Sector Innovation
* Public Sector Consultants
* U.S. Government Relations & Public Affairs
* SOFT POWER NETWORK
* National Emergency Management Resource Center [NEMRC]
* Pharma Market Research
* World Future Society
* HFMA CFO Forum
* Business Intelligence Professionals
* Public Sector Forum
* Public Sector Risk Management
* Global Insurance Professionals
* IVY GROUPS: Government & International Affairs
* State & Federal Public Sector Professionals
* Professional Public Service: MPA-MPP Degrees
* Balanced Scorecard Practitioners Global Network
* Association for Strategic Planning
* China Business
* Web 2.0

The WHOIS information for Ann's domain confirms her address, and the email used, "dh@thefuturemap.com", is consistent with her husband's listed email address.

Registrant:
Tracey Ann Foley
111 Trowbridge St.
Unit 9
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
United States
dh@thefuturemap.com

Domain Name: FOLEYANN.COM
Created on: 27-Sep-07
Expires on: 27-Sep-10
Last Updated on: 26-Aug-08

His website uses different contact information, including a hotmail email account:

Donald Heathfield
111 Trowbridge St.
#9
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
United States
dheathfield@hotmail.com

Domain Name: THEFUTUREMAP.COM
Created on: 12-Jan-05
Expires on: 12-Jan-11
Last Updated on: 13-Jan-10

His website, thefuturemap.com, gives a mission statement:

Future Map enables governments and businesses to develop comprehensive preparedness systems and build a culture of strategic proactivity and anticipatory leadership.

According to his website, the company's feature project was currently a joint effort with the Beijing Academy of Soft Technologies and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, called "Green China". They maintained a "ning" site for the project at ChinaGreenFuture.ning.com


Her website provides this bio:

Ann Foley, a native of Montreal, lived and was educated in Switzerland, Canada and France. Prior to her career in real estate she worked as a Human Resources officer in Toronto and ran her own travel agency in Cambridge that specialized in organizing trips to French wine regions for small groups of enthusiasts. Ann’s cultural awareness and international experience make her sensitive to the needs of other people. She strives for excellence in everything she does. Ann succeeds through her ability to ensure quality service, honesty and integrity. You will appreciate Ann’s enthusiasm and commitment to make sure that your real estate goal becomes a reality.

Ann resides in Cambridge with her husband and two teenage sons. She and her family are fond of travel. They have enjoyed visiting much of Europe but are particularly in love with Asia. Ann also appreciates gourmet food, ballet and spending time with her children

Mikhail Semenko - Washington DC

According to Mikhail's LinkedIn Page, he currently works for "Travel All Russia, LLC", which is a company that "Sell customized tours to English, Spanish and Chinese speaking clients. Establish connections with business partners in China and Latin America. Design new tours and business expansion initiatives."

If one of the goals was to find spies who could influence policies, the rest of Mikhail's resume looks like he might have been a rising star!

Before his current travel position he was a "Council Coordinator" for the The Conference Board: Trusted Insights for Business Worldwide, where his responsibilities are given as:

Coordinated with researchers and program directors to develop, support and operate five councils of senior executives. Enhanced member engagement and promote networking, research and exchange of new ideas among senior corporate executives. Identified, developed and implemented membership recruitment initiatives.

While working as a graduate student at Seton Hall University, his responsibilities as an intern included "File purchase orders, invoices and related accounting paperwork. Track, file and report on faculty stipends." He was an Intern at the World Affairs Council in 2007, and taught English and Western culture to students at the "Harbin Nangang District Language Center" while studying Chinese language and culture himself as a student at the Harbin Institute of Technology from 2003 to 2005. Harbin is in the extreme NorthEast corner of China.

Mikhael uses his voice as a blogger to decry US Policy in China. His blog post from June 24th begins with ... "I’m amazed at the persistence, with which American policymakers keep blaming China for its economic vows. Meanwhile, we finally received a response to US’s continuing whining about undervalued Renminbi from the China’s Foreign Ministry: “We believe the appreciation of the renminbi cannot bring about balanced trade and cannot help the U.S. solve its own problems of unemployment, overconsumption and a low savings rate”.

According to his blog, Mikhail can be reached at msemenko@gmail.com or on his cell at 973-489-2297 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              973-489-2297      end_of_the_skype_highlighting. http://chinaeconomytoday.wordpress.com/contact-me/

That's the same contact email he uses on "forums.amur.info", a Russian hang-out spot where he calls himself "mike_newyork". That's similar to his Twitter ID, http://twitter.com/mike_nuevayork.


While finishing his Masters at Seton Hall, his research projects included "China's Energy Policy in the Arab World" and "China-Taiwan Relations". As an undergrad in International relations at Amurskij Gosudarstvennyj Universitet, he was a leader in the "Model United Nations" focusing on Far East relations.

He networks well on LinkedIn. He's a "3rd level" connection to me through five different connections.

His LinkedIn Groups included:
* Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Policy, Asia Society
* Whitehead Alumni Association
* China Business Consultants Network
* Consultants Network Consultants Network
* Procurement Professionals (#1 supply chain & sourcing group) Business, network, jobs & candidates
* Seton Hall University Alumni Network
* Friends of China
* Overseas Chinese Network
* Hotel Industry Professionals Worldwide
* BRIC
* China HR Network (1000+)
* Friend of China
* Chinese-Speaking & China-Experienced Business Executives
* Public Policy Network - International
* Friends of Chinglish
* Non Profit & Philanthropic Job Board
* MENA Private Equity and Venture Capital Group
* US Policy on China & the Rest of the World Group
* The Green Leap Forward 绿跃进
* Doing Business & Expanding into China
* JOBS 2.0: Job Search Career Networking Staffing.
* Global Jobs Network
* España economía en crisis, Macroeconomía de otros países
* JOBS 2.0 Northeast (Northeastern US): New York City Philadelphia Boston Pittsburgh Hartford Buffalo
* JOBS 2.0 in Asia – Japan Hong Kong Taiwan South Korea China Russia India Pakistan Malaysia Thailand
* eyeforpharma Sales Force Effectiveness
* Innovation Works (China)
* Top SEO
* TRAVELALLRUSSIA

Anna Chapman - Manhattan

Anna Chapman is the celebrity of the group and has been much covered elsewhere. I did point out in Yesterday's Entry that she was interviewed about her "TIME Ventures" fund. TIME, the acronym stolen from a Canadian company of the same name, stands for "Technology, Internet, Media, Entertainment" had a bankroll of $2 Million to help other Russian entrepreneurs establish companies in New York.

Her Facebook Page says she has 168 friends, and is interested in "Alma De Agave Tequila, New York Entrepreneur Week, Do It In Person, AMBAR, MostProperties.com, School of Academic and Professional Blogging". Anya has her Facebook privacy settings set to make her "Wall" public, so there is some interesting things there.

(AMBAR = American Business Association of Russian-speaking Professionals ( AmBAR ) is a non-profit business association of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, engineers, lawyers and other professionals with headquarters in Silicon Valley.

She really did seem to be in the Russian Entrepreneur scene, with recent links such as:

Anna Chapman Ребята, всем кому интересно узнать про венчурное инвестирование, в Москве будет отличное мероприятие - Московский венчурный форум, участие бесплатное, информация на http://arip.ru/
Инновации, инновационные проекты, субсидии, инвестиции, поддержка

(Translated:
Anna Chapman guys, all who are interested to learn about venture investing, in Moscow will be a great event - the Moscow Venture Forum, part free of charge, information on http://arip.ru/
Innovation, innovation projects, grants, investments, support

She also attended New York Entrepreneur Week cocktail reception back on April 15th.

A bit of her poetic musings: "Anna Chapman In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.
April 8 at 6:52am"

And a post about her Mac, the focus of her "spy" activities: "Anna Chapman My new Mac has been the buy of the year... Love it!
January 24 at 6:11pm"

OK - this is the part where my teenage daughter would accuse me of being a Facebook creeper...moving on.

Vicky Pelaez and Juan Lazaro - Yonkers

Vicky Pelaez, Spanish-language journalist, profiled in the New York Daily News. In 1984 she was kidnapped in Peru by the MRTA, but her cameraman at the time claimed she was a willing accomplice of the kidnappers. She lived with her Peruvian husband and fellow accused spy, Juan Lazaro, at a home in Yonkers, New York. In this photo from 1010WINS.com, FBI agents are entering their property: They have a 38 year old son, named Waldo Mariscal.

Vicky used her New York based "El Diario" email, Vicky.pelaez@eldiariony.com, in her byline for recent stories, including:

June 1, 2010 - El derrame de petróleo es la ‘Katrina’ de Obama - (the Oil Spill is Obama's Katrina)

May 25, 2010 - Obama campeón deportador de indocumentados - (Obama is the champion of the undocumented) - mocks our government as being racist, xenophobic, and intolerant and starts with the Thomas Aquinas quote: "Justice without mercy is cruelty"

May 4, 2010 - Arizona: un 'muerto de hambre' con ínfulas - compares the Arizona immigration law with Nazi Germany and Apartheid, and quotes FDR (in Spanish) "“Acuérdate, acuérdate siempre, que todos nosotros somos descendientes de inmigrantes y revolucionarios”." (Remember, always remember, that all of us are the descendants of immigrants and revolutionaries)

Juan Lazaro is mentioned in today's New York Times article, Curiosities Emerge in Suspected Russian Spy Ring by James Barron, because former students of his at Baruch College remember his anti-American views. He taught as an adjunct for a single semester only. Here's how the NYT relays student views:

His students said he was a professor like none other. The reason? His passionate denunciation of American foreign policy. He maintained that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were a money-making ploy for corporate America. He praised President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and disparaged President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia as a pawn for paramilitary groups that have broad control over drug trafficking.

“He challenged us intellectually,” said one student who graduated in May. “He criticized a lot about what happens in the United States, and that’s what I think got some people upset.”

The course catalog entry reads:

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
POL 3364 - Lat Am&carib Pol Sys

This course examines contemporary political systems in selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. It emphasizes the common problems of state-building, political-economic development, political party development, political instability, revolution, dictatorship, and democracy in these nations. Special attention is paid to the current and historical relations between these countries and the United States and other nations in the hemisphere.

Michael Zottoli and Patricia Mills - Arlington, Virginia

Michael Zottoli, 40, and Patricia Mills, 31, lived together in an Arlington, Virginia apartment. According to this profile by KATU, the couple lived in five different apartments in Seattle, Washington between 2002 and October, 2009. Zottolli claims to be born in Yonkers, New York, although he may have entered the country as late as 2001. Mills claims to be a Canadian citizen who has lived in the US since 2003. They have at least two children, according to a former landlord.

Zottoli and Mills were students at the University of Washington, according to this Seattle Times piece by Jonathan Martin and Christine Willmsen, which says they were married in King County in 2005 and graduated with degrees in business in 2006. Although both have social security cards, the number on Mills' card belongs to someone else. After working briefly as a car salesman, Zottolli was hired in July of 2007 by "Link Conference Services". (His LinkedIn page lists him as a "senior accountant" there from July 2007 to September 2009.) He left that job telling his boss he was going to take a "six month vacation" to visit Mills parents in South Africa. Patricia told their landlord they were going to Europe. The landlord recalls they were "all about Kenny", their toddler. Zottolli's former boss says she received a reference check from a nursing home in Arlington who was interviewing him to be an accountant.

Richard Murphy and Cynthia Murphy - New Jersey

Richard and Cynthia Murphy, pictured here in a
photo obtained by the New York Daily News had a long profile published in NorthJersey.com with long interviews by several neighbors, who described Richard as "anti-social" and said they told confusing stories about their origins. Cynthia claimed to be from Toronto, but didn't recognize the name of a prominent subdivision where one neighbor had family.

We don't know a lot about Richard yet. He traveled to Russia recently on a fake Irish passport under the name of "Eunan Doherty"

Cynthia worked at Morea Financial Services, at 120 Broadway in New York, and had recently completed an MBA from Columbia University in May, with her undergrad from the Stern School of Business in 2000. Various media sources say that one of the firm's clients was Alan Patrickof, a Hillary Clinton fund-raiser who may have been mentioned in dispatches back to Russia. Patrickof says although the two have talked, their conversation was strictly about taxes.

Cynthia is actually in my LinkedIn network at the 3rd level, although she calls herself "Cindy Murphy" there. Her profile says she has been at Morea Financial Services since 1997 and that she is a "Certified Financial Planner." Three of my connections (one in Boston, one in Toronto, one in New York) have "links" who are "linked" with Cynthia. Small world!

Cyrillic spellings

For those Googling by Russian/Cyrillic spellings, they are listed here under the Cyrillic spellings of their names, with the text from a story in Izvestia.ru:

Согласно изложенным Минюстом США сведениям, в городе Монтклэр (штат Нью-Джерси) были задержаны Ричард и Синтия Мерфи; в Йонкерсе (штат Нью-Йорк) - Вики Пелаэз и Хуан Лазаро; в Нью-Йорке на Манхэттене – Анна Чэпмен; Майкл Зоттоли и Патриша Миллз, а также Михаил Семенко – в Арлингтоне (штат Вирджиния); Дональд Говард Хитфилд и Трейси Ли-Энн Фоли - в Бостоне (штат Массачусетс). Речь идет во всех случаях, кроме Чэпмен и Семенко, о супружеских парах. В розыск по данному делу объявлен его одиннадцатый фигурант – некий Кристофер Метсос.

(Translated via Google Translate:

According to the U.S. Justice Department set out the information in the city Montkler (New Jersey) were arrested Richard and Cynthia Murphy, in Yonkers (NY) - Vicky Pelaez and Juan Lazaro, in New York in Manhattan - Anna Chapman, and Michael Zottoli Patricia Mills, and Michael Semenko - in Arlington (Virginia), Donald Howard Heatfield and Tracy Lee-Ann Foley - Boston (Massachusetts). Речь идет во всех случаях, кроме Чэпмен и Семенко, о супружеских парах. It is in all cases except Chapman and Semenko, about couples. A search in the case has been announced for an eleventh person involved - a Christopher Metsos.